Telephone-exchange system.



E. B. CLEMENT.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE s'zsTEu.

AP PLIO ATIOH FILED MAB. 8, 1906.

Patented Apr. 26, 1916.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. B. CLEMENT. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 8, 1905 Patented Apr.26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q suucufoz wihwoaca Z I g 1 Ma/W 50 in the bri ge wire of a-lVheatstone bridge,

EDWARD E. CLEMENT, OF NASHINGTON, DISTRIfl-I OF COLUMBIA.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Application filed March a, 1905. Serial No. 249,021. "41 Ti cwfit LJ ml 1} To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. CLEMENT,

a citizen of the United States residing at Washington, in the District 01' Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in Telcphone-EXchangc Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to telephone exchange systems, and particularly to call registering means as applied to such systems.

It has for its object the provision of means located at the central ofiice for recording calls and charging them to the lines calling, using a set of registers or recorders in number less than the total number of lines served.

' Other objects are to identi the particular. operator and the particu ar connective apparatus, cord-circuit, etc., used in the an- 0 swering of any particular call, to make the operation automatic in that it requires no attention on the part of the operator, to regist r on a recall, and where desired to register the duration of a call. The constructien and arran ment are such that lines may be redistributed at the intermediate frame of a multiple-board without confusion in the registers, and only as many of the latter need'be employed as the business calls for. The scheme is strictly applicable to any common battery telephone exchange in which cut-off rela 's and supervisory relays are employed, an to almost all others now in use. It may also be applied to systems of the semi-automatic type, and to full automatic installatio s, in every case without disturbing or changing the standard connections or mechanism.

Briefly stated my invention comprises an autou'iatic-selector switch for each cord-circuit, or which may be connected to any cordcircuit, a ta being taken off an indifferent; point identi ed with each line-circuit in the particular position to which the cords belong and carried to the corresponding multi lc contacts in each of the selector switches of? that position. Each switch is preferably connected u so thatits controlling magnet whose several arms are made up of the battery mnncutions to the cordcircuit, and n lnrn an answering plug is in a jack, of the ttii'llhtl ill d pm is of the cord and line. When plu i..- lllsLllCtl in answer to :1 call, current is admitted to the controlling magnet of the selector switch, which startsaround and moves until its wiper contact has selected and made contact with the multiple in its banks of the line calling; the bridge is then in balance and the switch stops. As the switch spindle turns it moves a type wheel carrying printing type or punches, and when it stops a number or punch on said wheel corresponding to the line selected is brought into recording position opposite a tape or card. When the called subscriber finally answers, his supervisory relay closes the circuit of a printing. or punching magnet, which presses the tape or card against the wheel and so records the number or other designating character of the line calling. \Vhen the subscribers hang up the tape or card is fed out, and when the answering plu is finally removed the restoring magnet fthe switch gets current and the switch returns normal position ready for a fresh operation;

In its broadest aspect, my invention relates to those registering systems employing a number of registers less than the number of lines to be served, and although I have chosen to use a \Vheatstone bridge for con venien ce, I can employ various circuits, the underlying principle being susceptible of many and variedembodiments. This prin-- ciple is that any line calling may be identified if some rtion of its individualized ap- Eill'fltllS or clrcuit is re resented and accessie in a selector, provi ed that the condition of this portion is difi'erent when the line-is in use from its condition when the line is idle.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 'wherein Ifigure 1 is a diagram showing two subscribers l1ne circuits and a central oflice connectin circuit, with a register attached igs. 2, 3 and 4 are details of the thereto. type wheel and attachments. Fig. 5 shows a piece of the tape. Fig. 6 is a modification of the circuits shown in Fig.1.

' Referring to Fig. 1, A and A are two sub-.

scribers stations shown as connected to a multiple switchboard wired up in accordance with a well known standard scheme of two-wire multiple. Each sub-station is equipped with the usual transmitter T, receiver T, switch-hoclrH, ringer Q, and con denser C. The line-wires 1-2 extend from the sub-station to the contacts of the cutoff relay L, whence they are normally extended, the first to line-relay L and battery, and the second to ground. When L is energized the line is extended through wires 3-4 to the contacts of its answering jack J and its multiple J. The cord-circuit is separated by condensers C, C, the answering plug P and the calling plug P having their tips p and their sleeves 29 connected through the strands 56 and 78. Bridged across each end of the cord is a pair of relays, R-R' or R -R which jointly control the supervisory lamp 1 or 1 All of the arrangement so far described is old and well known, having been largely used in common battery installations. I have shown my inventionin connection with this because it happens to be a convenient system to illustrate; but I do not wish to be limited thereby, nor am I limited in practice to any.particuiar type of system. My invention can be used with a magneto system, as I shall point out hereafter, and is well I adapted for any of the common battery sys- 'tems now known and used, as I have already stated. I l The type of switch I have chosen to illustrate is that employed quite commonly 1n automatic exchange systems according to present practice. Itsessentlal features are a spindle carrying a contact wiper and" rotating to move said wiper over a series of fixedcontacts arranged in an are having greater or smaller angular dimensions according to the number of contacts. This are with its contacts is called the bank or contact bank. The spindle is rotated by means of a ratchet wheel on it and a pawl vibrated by an electro-magnet, premature retraction being prevented by a retaining pawl controlled by another electro-magnet,

3' which when it is energized lifts both pawls away from the ratchet coiled spring can return the s so that a suitable indle back to zero or its normal position. add to this a type-wheel mounted on the spindle and fixed so that when the wiper rests upon any particular line contact the number of that line on the type-wheel will be opposite the tape.

Referring to Fig. 1, .S is the selector switch, having a spindles, which I have shown mounted for revolution in a footstep but which may and referably will be in practice horizontal. cured the collar a, carrying the wiper w, whichis a metal, (usually a German silver) arm extending out radially so as to sweep over a circle as the spindle rotates; On the lower part of the spindle is mounted rigidly a ratchet 8 by means of which it is turned, and'below this is a horizontally rojecting in or stud 8, which when the spindle is in its idle position engages" aspring couple a to close the circuit of the starting relay.

Above the ratchet I have-shown a. retracting 11 this spindle is sespring 8", having one end of its coil secured to the spindle and the other to a fixed point.

At the u per end of the spindle is a type wheel 8", caring on its periphery type numbers or characters raised in relief, as indicated at a, there being a number or character on the wheel corresponding to each line having a multiple contact in the bank swept over by the wiper w. Opposite the type wheel is a printing magnet 2, shown as a solenoid magnet with an iron shell and a central plunger carrying the armature 8 at one end and the printing platen s at the other. Between the latter and the type wheel lies the tape .9, fed from a roll or spider as shown above the wheel, down between the friction or feed rolls 3'-s. The feed of this tape is governed by the printing magnet. As I have illustrated it for simplicity, this is by means of a spring extension arm 3 attached to the armature and provided with a hook or toe that takes into teeth on the periphery of the feed wheel 8. This may work in either of two ways, both of which would be well enough represented by the diagrammatic showing.- First, it may be that the toe s when the armature 8 is retracted will ull the wheel 8 around several teeth, depen ing on the length of the air-gap allowed the magnet 8, thus feeding the tape a space after the number is printed each time; or second, the toe 8 may be merely a detent, and the shaft or arbor of wheel 8" be a driven shaft, that is provided with a motor as clock-work, the speed of the shafts rotation uponuelease being redetermined and constant. In this case a ter the printing magnet has done its work and slightly retracted its armature so as to free the tape from pressure, the latter will be continuously, fed until the printing circuit 12 is broken at the end of the conversation, the length of tape fed being thus the measure of the elapsed time after the number was stamped, and furnishing means for getting totals of time-use of subscribers lines.

The circuits of my switch are simple.

The main battery bus 10 is tapped by wires 16 and 18, the latter containing the supervisory control relay R and the former the inductive resistance Rh. These two wires form the two right arms of the bridge. The cord strand 7 from the point of connection of the supervisory relay R to the plug sleeve p, with the jack thimble and wire 4, form the upper left arm; and as will be obvious from the diagram these are common parts of the usual circuits. The fourth arm of the bridge, on which I depend for difi'erentiating the circuit calling. is marked 11-90, 11 being the switch end of the arm, and 90 a branch of the wire tap 9 from wire 4 through the cut-off relay L to ground.

take this tap 90 off between-the cut-0ft relay will be explained in connection with the statement of operation. The bridge wire of the bridge thus formed is 14-17, and includes the relay magnet M, which I shall refer to as the controlling relay. It determines the movement of the switch, according to the balanced or unbalanced condition of the bridge. Cooperating with it is a relay M for the stepping and release magnets M and M. In its initial operation this rela M is a starting relay, and thereafter a release relay. Its change of character is accomplished by the switch springs 8 in their opening or closing of the' shunt circuit 21.22.

The wiper w swee s over a circle, as I have stated, and on t is circle are arranged a number of contacts corresponding to the number of lines to be served by the switch. In most cases, where not exceeding 100 lines are assigned to a position, I shall have a "switch for each cord circuit at each position,

and all the switches at each position will be capable of serving all the lines. 'It is desirable, however, to keep down the number of line contacts in the multiple banks, certainly to 100 if possible, for the reason that I desire a one-movement switch, and more than 100 contacts in'either a. circle or an are are difiicult to handle, although of course-not impossible. Hence, where more than 100 lInes are assigned to a position I shall have more than one set of switches and registers per position, each serving a portion of the total number of linesat the position.

Further points in the constructionand connection of my switch and register will be apparent from the statement of operation.

Suppose subscriber A calls: current flowng in the line circuit 1-2 energizes the line relay L, and this closes the local circuit of the signal lamp l, which glows. The operator inserts a plug P in answer to the call, and thereby completes the following circuit to the cut-off relay: I3, 10, 18, R, w, 7, P, J, 4, L, 9, ground, and back to battery. She also simultaneously closes the following branch circuit: B, 10, 16, Rh, 11, 14, M, 17,

7, I, J, 4, L, 9, ground. In other words, the

- bridge is connected, as to the two arms from battery B, and'as to the third arm through the jack, but the fourth arm11,90,is st1ll incomplete. The bridge being thus unbal anoed current flows through the bridge wire 1417 and the magnet M, whose armature is attracted, closing the following circuit: B,

- 10, 150, 15, 22. s, 21. M. ground and back to battery. Magnet M becoming energized by current in this circuit pulls up its armatures m and m,- which does three things: first, armature m connects wire 20 from .the commutator I, to the wire 19, whereby current from the battery B passes in intermittent pulsesto the magnet M, which is the stepping magnet and proceeds to turn the spindle '8, second, the armature m leaves its back contact, which cuts off the restoring or lcleasc magnet M; third. the armature m" closes on contact 111 which connects the wire 15 (lirectwith the winding of magnet M, so

that even after the contacts .3 have opened,

owing to the startingof the switch spindle, the magnet M remains under the control of the relay M and is energized until the latter loses its current. The ma let M new steps around the switch spin le until the wiper w rests on the contact m of the wire 90 leading to the jack of the line in whose jack the plug P has been placed. At that instant the bridge is balanced by the completion of the arm 1190, and the magnet M instantly becomes inert. Its armature falling back breaks the circuit 150, 15, to

magnet M, and the latter becomes denerized; wh'e'reupon its armatures becoming retracted, the pulsatory current circuit 20 is disconnected from magnet M the contact mm is broken, (thereby cutting ofl the magnet M until the springs s are again closed), and the magnet M is again connected tothe w re 15, to remain so until the switch has been restored. The circuit 12 of the printing magnet 8* passes to and is under the control of the called subscribers supervisory relay, R in every case. When that subscriber answers, his relay R pulls 'up, and while the lamp Z goes out,- the circuit of the magnet a is closed as follows: E, 10, 18, 1 r, 12, 1", 12, 8, ground back to battery. It will be observed the circuit asses through a pair of s rings 1'", controlled by a plunger or-key v", atched when down by a magnet armature lever a" controlled by magnet R, connected in a local circuit in parallel with the lamp 1*. This push ke control is to permit the operator to recal a party who has prematurely left the telephone with- .to omit this .key, for two reasons, but in some exchanges it is demanded. The first reason is that it distracts the operator and destroys the absolute'secrecy and automatic character of there 'st-ering thereby 5 and the second is that t e operator acquires a control over the charges which preveritsthe count being absolutely reliable. Accident or design may cause the button to be ressed when a charge should be made, an as no complaint would follow such an action no matter how frequentlyrepeated, no tracer would be possible. On the other hand, the number of times a called subscriber'would be' recalled without pro r charge is such a small percentage of t e whole as to be negligible, and render the special key unnecessary. Still, as I 'havesaid, so'ne managers demand such a control, so I have provided it. The switch having selected the -he wants another connection.

contact of the calling line, and stopped thereon, by this act the number'of the line on the wheel a is brought opposite the tape a, in printing position. \Vhen the called subscriber answers, the magnet s is energized by current sent over, the circuit 12 when the armature 1 of the supervisory relay pulls up, and the platen s is forced against the tape and the latter against the type wheel, printing the number of the line calling on the tape.

t often happens that the calling subscriber may make what is commonlycalled a recall, that is he may signal the operator by flashing the supervisory lamp that In that case she would merely pull the calling plug P leaving the answering plug P in t e caJing jack, and inserting the mate in the now wanted jack. For such recalls my invention is well adapted. The register switch simply remains set, while the number is repeated when the newly called subscriber answers, and so on ad infinz'tum. I should also state here that during the conversation, if the time feed of the tape is em loyed, as referred to hereinbefore, the resu t will be a space of blank ta after the number, the length of which w" give the time of connection, provided the rate of feed .is known. This being maintained constant I provide the tape with cross lines spaced apart so as to indicate units of time convenient for reading, say seconds. In Fig. 5 I have shown a small piece of tape on which the record of three calling numbers appears. N0. 4618 had.thec0rd circuit for 30 seconds after he got his party, No. 4677 had it a. minute,

- and No. 4688 had it 30 seconds or more.

v the number of the operator.

The space 8 following the number 4618 shows the 30 seconds, and the space 8 shows one minute. In addition to the number of the line calling, I have shown other information printed on the tape in Fig. 5, and adapted to be printed by type in Fi 2 and 3. In each figure a separate type y 8" carries Each operator has means to set this for her own number. Thus the tape shown bears the number 19 after two calls, and 24 after the other, showing that after the first two calls 0 rator No. 19 was relieved and replace by No. 24 at the position to which thls register was assigned. The detailsof this arrangement are not illustrated, as it is not claimed herein, but is made the subject of claims in my copendin application filed April 15, 1905, Serial o. 255,832. Each position, of course, at the switchboard, is indicated by a general number put on all the tapes thereat, and the cord circuit registers may each identify its own tape by a characteristic general mark, it being unnecessary to mark every call withthe same unless the tapes are to be cut up. i This cutting up is practie-ed sometimes to facilitate the making up of accounts and auditing. All calls are cut up, and all'the pieces bearing one number are pasted together without overlapping, on a thin foundation strip. Hence each composite strip will give the total number of calls, or if time feed has been employed, the time and the number of calls, and if in addition it is desired to have the number of the cord circuit used for each connection, then another wheel or plate like s must be provided at the t pe wheel with the cord circuit number to w ich it belongs.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification whercinronly the units and tens numerals are changed, the hundreds and thousands remaining fixed, as these are the same for all lines 1n one osition, within limits.

In Fig. 4 I ave shown removable ty units, used for the following reason. often happens that in redistributing lines at the intermediate distributing or cross-connecting frame, lines'with widely different numbers are brought to the same panel of.

answering jacks for answering. To use the numbers appertaining to those particular jacks in registering would be if the line numbers were rea y different, although connected to those 'acks, a translation by the bookkeeper W0 (1 be necessary,

the simple expedient of making t e t pe removable, I enable the number of a me in the registers to be changed when the line is changed, thus always rinting the real numbers. In Fig. 4, I iiave shown the type dovetailed in slots cut across the face of 'e wheel. They can be made a tight fit and tapped in with a small mallet, no fastenin 's being required. Another purpose is so served by this construction, viz. that of replacing broken type.. In the figures I have shown the type direct and not reversed on' 1possible, but

the wheel, this being because an inking ribbon 8 is shown next the platen, thus printing the same direction as the type.

is a detail, however, open to choice.

To return to the operation, supposenow that subscriber A having been connected,

hangs up his receiver first: his supervisory relay lets go its armature, the printin magnet s lets go and the paper tape is fe When the calling subscriber hangs up also the operator pulls the plugs. The bridge is This energized and M pulls up its armatures aga1n. i

As the switch S is away from normal, thesprings 8 are. open, and. the armature m being back, the magnet M is of course 95 with attendant trouble and expense. By

cut 05. The release magnet M is in circuit, however, so its circuit is immediately closed as follows: B. 10, 150, 15, m, M, and ground. This releases the spindle a, and the spring .9 carries it back to normal. As soon as the contact w-m is broken the ma gnets R and M lose current and let go their armatures, the operator getting a clearing out signal for the register, as a sign also of the record being made, by the extinguishing of the lamp l, which stays lighted after the plugs are pulled until the register is restored. \Vhen the armature m of the restoring magnet pulls up it lifts the armature m through the extension or finger m, so as to clear both armature pawls from the ratchet.

The reason I connect the tap 90 to a point on wire 4 between the relay L and the jack is that thus the relay winding L may be brought into series with both the cord and register connections.

It will be observed that in the two-wire system here shown there is a double feed of current through wires 10 and 16 to the side 4 of line, and the magnet L of the cut-off takes current through the coils R and Rh in parallel. The supervisory relays are usually woundto about 100 ohms, and in order to avoid any overplus'of current, a resistance a: maybe inserted in series with the relay R, the resistance of the winding Rh being made equal to the sum of the resistances R and m. In practice I do not consider this essential, but where for any reason in existing systems the total bridged resistance must be kept constant, this arrangement enables it to be done.

I have found in practice that the arm 16 of the bridge can be omitted in many cases without impairing or changing the opera tion, provided the other connections are made as indicated in Fig. 6. These are shown separate only for convenience in illustrating, being neither more nor less than running the wire 16 through a pair of contacts S operated with the switch contacts s "t0 be opened when the switch starts. The operation under such circumstances is as follows: The circuit of magnet M is normally complete from the battery to the cord strand 7 in parallel with the relay R. \Vhen the plug P is inserted in answer to a call current flows throughboth these relay magnets to and through the cut-off relay L and ground. The switch starts as soon as magnet M gets current, and the wire 16 is of course severed. As soon as the switch starts however, the wiper w comes on a contact m of some line, no matter what, and I make these contacts so that the wiper makes contact with the succeeding line terminal before leavin the one over which it is passing. As a 1 these are grounded through their cut-off relays, the magnet M continues to get current continuously as long as the wiper is passing over contacts of other lines than that with which its cord circuit is conproceeding as already described. To put this in a word, the arm 16 of the bridge can be open or closed after the switch is started without affecting the operation.

Many other changes and variations can be made in the system without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not limit myself to the use of a bridge, for instance, nor to any particular type of switch, the conditions bein satisfied if controlling magnets are place in operative condition after a plug 15 inserted and before the line terminal m is reached, and in a difierent condition after conjunction of the wiper and line terminal. All such arrangements fall within the scope and purview of my invention.

Although the cirthiits herein described are those of a common battery manual system, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatmy invention can be applied to other types of systems, such as magneto-manual, automatic or semi-automatic, without essential changes, the actual points and method of connection being determined in every case by the nature and type of the line terminals and connective apparatus.

In applying the invention to automatic systems, the rules to be observed are simple. The wire 90 must always lead to some point on a line-identifying circuit, and the wire 11 must be a part of the register control circuits.

As I have already explained additional inscriptions may be made of these or other matters to be recorded, simply by adding as many of the auxiliary ty e-wheels or surfaces s' and 8 as may e required For a complete record I contemplate using the following types, whose arrangement will be perfectly apparent from the foregoing description, arranging. them to print in the order named:

. Designation of the exchange.

The line number.

The partys number or letter.

The operators number.

. The section or position number.

The cord-circuit number.

. The year, month and day (preferably by numerals) The hour (a. m. or p. m.) and minute.

All the above are fixed type, except Nos.

3, 4, 7 and 8.

' tially as described.

In regard to the operators disabling key r, I have shown this as held by the latch 1' and released in one movement. \Vith this arrangement the button must be held down until the subscriber answers, otherwise, the armature r being back, it would release at once and print when, the subscriber answered. To enable the operator to press this .button at any time, and leave it, the release should be by two steps, like the escapement of the .side switch in the Strovvger system. A number of arrangements may be adapted for this purpose, being well known to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim .and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a telephone system, subscribers lines terminating in )HCliS, cord-circuits terminating in plugs, and call registers less innumber than the lines, each call register having a controlling magnet connected with a cord-circuit on one side, and with a switching device on the other, contacts connected to branches from the various line jacks, a numeral selector and register device connected with said switching device and controlled thereby so that when the switch rests upon the contact associated with a pzrticular line the number of that line will in position to register, and battery connections such that the controlling magnet starts the switching device when a plug is inserted in a jack, but has its condition changed when the switching device has selected the contact of that particular line, substantially as described.

2. In a telephone exchange system, a plurality of subscribers" lines each having a terminal jack, a connecting cord-circuit terminating in a plug, a register having a controlling relay connected on one side to the.

3. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, and a printing register therefor comrising a setting spindle, a selector magnet or turning the spindle, controlling means therefor associated with the lines, a type wheel moved by the.spindle and magnet, printing mechanism controlled by a printmg magnet, a record tape for said mechamsm, a tape feed governed by the printing e alternately mechanism, and a controlling magnet or relay and a switch actuated in alternating energizations of said controlling magnet to render the register active and to disable it, substantially as described.

4. In a telephone exchange system, a plurality of subscribers lines having connective terminals, a plurality of connective circuits less than the number of lines and provided with cooperating terminals for interconnecting the lines, in combination with a register system comprising a plurality of registers associated with the con nective circuits and adapted to be brought into correlative line-identifying position in the use of said connective circuits, with means separately controlled after a connection is complete to record the same, substantially as described.

5. In a telephone system, a lurality of line circuits, and a plurality o connective circuits less in number than the number of lines, in combination with a register system comprising registers and means for setting the same to identify the lines in the use of the connective circuits, together with means controlled by the subscribers through the telephone lines for determining the final registering or recording acts, substantially as described.

6. In a telephone system, a lurality of subscribers lines, a number 0 connective circuits therefor, and a register normally out of connection with the lines, means for starting up and driving the register in the act of making a connection with a line, means to stop the register in position to identity the line, and means under the control of a subscriber for thereafter actuating the register to record the call, substantially as described.

7. In a telephone system, subscribers lines and means for interconnecting the same for conversation, in combination with a registcr system comprising the following instrumentalities: relatively fixed contacts and a relatively movable contact, branch circuits associated with the lines and connected to said fixed contacts, line identifying means associated and moving with. the movable contact, electromagnetic operating means for said movable contact, a normally incomplete operating circuit adapted to be completed in making connection with a line for talking purposes, and disabling means for the electromagnetic operating means adapted to arrest the movable contact when it reaches the fixed contact connected with the branch associated with the aforesaid line, substantially as described.

8. in a telephone system, a. plurality of subsc ibers lines, a plurality oi. connective circuits therefor, and a telephone register having a plurality of contacts. associated with t e lines, a movable contact individual to the register, a line identifying means connected to and operated with the moving contact, a register actuating circuit controlled in the use of a connection, and separate controlling means for determining the final-act of registration after a line has been identified and the register thereby prepared for making a record thereof, substantially as described.

I 9. In a telephone system, subscribers lines, operators or other connective circuits, register circuits composed in part, of branches associated with the connective circuits,. and in part of branches associated with the line circuits, and means becoming operative in connecting with a line to match the branches associated with said line and with the connective circuits through a particular register. and thereby to identify'thc line and select its number for purposes. of recording, together with means controlled by the called subscriber for determining the registering acts. substantially as described.

10. In a telephone exchange system, a pinrality of subscribers lines and connective circuits therefor, in combination with a register device comprising a selector switch and a printing wheel, a number of contact in the switch connected to lines available for calling purposes, a number of characters on the printing wheel corresponding with the said contacts and movable to come into printing osition simultaneously with the closing of the switch on the corresponding contacts. and means controlled by a subscriber for printing the number set up by the printing wheel, substantially as described. l i

11. In a telephone systenna plurality of line-circuits with a register therefor having connections to the respective lines and comprising a type printer, a printing platen and magnet, means for moving the type printer to bring a desired line' designation into printing position, and means to close the circuit of the printing magnet during use of the line called, substantially as described.

12. In a telephone system, a plurality of line-circuits, with connections to a recorder, the same comprising a rinting register and a selector, the latter etermining the line calling, and the former recording its number when the called subscriber responds. substantially as described.

13.111 a telephone system, subscribers lines and connective circuits therefor, 21 register for said lines comprising a number wheel and a selector, with line connections for the selector, means whereby the latter controls the number wheel to set it to the proper number, and means for printing the number only when two subscribers are connected with both lines completed for 'conversation. substantially as described.

14. In a telephone system, a plurality of line-circuits, and a telephone register thereister mechanism,

for comprising a selector for determining the line calling, and means for recording the indication of the selector, upon the res onse of the called subscriber, substantial y as described. 15. A register system for telephone systems comprisin branch wires and switch terminals there or connected to jack contacts of the various lines in the exchange, a register selector having a controlling circurt connected to a cord conductor and adapted to be brought into connection with the said branch wire of a line when the cord is connected with that line by the insertion of its plug in the line jack, means for supplying current-to said controlling circuit through the cord connection, a register switch arm adapted to sweep over the said switch terminals when connection is made with a line, the arrangement being such that when the switch arm comes upon the contact corresponding to the line connected, a short circuit for the controlling circuit is established and the selector stops; together with recording means set to the number of the line connected by the action of the. sclector, and actuated to record by the action of the called. subscriber, substantially as described.

16. Ina telephone exchange system, a call register adapted to be associated with a line by the act of making connection therewith for conversation, means in said register to thereu on select and identity the line, a controilin magnet for said re ister, and a circuit or said magnet contrOIled zit-two points, one a contact in the connective aplfllfliLlS, and the other a contact in the regthe latter being controlled by the register in selectin and idei'itifying the line, substantially as described.

17. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines, connective apparatus there' for, and call registering apparatus common to a number of lines and associated with and controlled through the connective apparatus so as to be brought into opention only when lines are connected fol-conversation, substantially as described.

18. In atelephone exchange system,a call register comprising one or more type surfaces, a record surface cooperating there with, meansoperable in the use of the connective apparatus in itsseveral steps, to set the type so as to properly indicate the data of any given connection. and means controlled by the called subscribcr to print from the type when set. substantially as described.

19. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines and connective circuits therefor, a register associated with said lines, means to set the register in correlative indicating position with a line with which connection'is made, means ope nting when the lines are completed for wnversation to recating position with the calling line, means operated by an act on the part of the called subscriber when connection is made to print the indications set up by the register, and

means associated with the connective circults for rendering the printing means 1noperative, substantially as described.

21. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines and operators connective circuits therefor, a register associated with said lines, means to set the register in correlative indicating position with respect to the called line, means forming a part of the connective circuits and controlled by the called subscriber when connection is made for printing the indications set up by the register, and means associated with the connective circuits and controlled by the operator to render said lastnamed means inoperative, substantially as described.

22. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines and operators connective circuits therefor,-a register associated with said lines, means to set the register in correlative indicating position with respect to the called line, a printing magnet for printing the indications set up by the register, signal means controlled bythe' called subscriber and controllin said magnet so that the printin operation is effected by 'an act on the part 0 the called subscriber, and means controlled by the operator for preventing a reprint of the indication when a recall is desired, substantially as described.

23. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers" lines and terminal connective devices therefor, means for distributing the lines among said connective terminal devices for the purpose of initiating connections, without regard to the numbers by which the lines are known; call registers each having a number of line indicationscomprising those of lines assnclated with certain parts of the connective terminal apparatus, and means to change and adjust said register indications in accordance with changes in the terminal connections of the corresponding lines, substantially as described.

24. In a, telephone exchange system, a plurality of subscribers lines and a pluralit of connective circuits in combination wit a register normally dissociated from the lines, means for starting up and driving the register in the act of makin a connection'with the line, means for rendering said driving 'means ino erative with the re ister in position to i entify the line, an means associated with the connective circuits and under control of a subscriber for thereafter actuating the register to record the call, substantlally as described.

25. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines and a number of connective circuits therefor, in combination with a register normally dissociated from the lines, means controlled in the act of making a connection with the line for driving said register step by step, means to render said driving means inoperative at a point where the register will be in position to identify the line, and means associated with the connective circuits and under the control of a subscriber for thereafter actuating the register to record the call, substantially as described.

26. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines and a number of connective circuits therefor, in combination with a. selector switch normally dissociated from the line, means operating in the act of making a connection with the line for drivin said switch, an indicating device control ed by said switch, means tostop the movement of the switch so that the indicatin device will be in position to identify the line, a rinting ma ct and a circuit therefor, an means un er the control of the called subscriber for completin the circuit of said printing magnet where y said magnet is actuated to record the call, substantially as described.

27. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of subscribers lines and a number of connective circuits therefor, in combination with a registering system which comprises the following instrumentalities; -relat1vely fixed contacts and a relatively movable contact, branch circuits associated with the lines and connected to said fixed contacts, line identifying means associated and moving with the movable contact, operatin means for said movable contact, controlling means therefor, a normally incomplete circuit for said controlling means adapted to be completed for making a connection with the line, disabling means for said operating means adapted to arrest the movable contact when it reaches the fixed contact connected with the branch associated with the aforesaid line, and means also under control of the controlling means for returning said movable contact to normal, substantially as described.

28. In a telephone system, subscribers line and a plurality of connective circuits therefor, a register associated'itwith said lipes, means to set the registerin indicating position with respect' to the callin line, means to print the indications set up y the register, means associated with the connective circuits for rendering said printing means inoperative, means for locking said last named means in operating position, and means controlled by the called subs riber for releasing said locking means, substantially as described.

29. In a telephone system, a plurality of line circuits, and a plurality of connective circuits less in number than the number of lines, in combination with a register system comprising registers, and means for setting the same to identify the lines in use with the connective circuits, said register system operating through and in conjunction with the connective circuits, together with means forming a part of the connective circuits and controlled by the sub scriber through the telephone lines for deterinining the final registering or recording acts, substantially as described.

30. In a telephone system, a plurality of circuits, and a pluralit of connective circuits less in number t an the number of lines, in combination with a register system comprising registers, and means for setting the same to identify the lines in use with the connective'circuits, said register system operating through and ,in conjunction with the connective circuits, means forming a )art of the connective circuit for determinmg the final registerin or recording acts, and means under contro of the operator for rendering said last named means inoperative when a recall is desired, substantially as described.

31. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines, connective. apparatus therefor, call registering apparatus common to a number of lines for selectively recording a call, said call re istering apparatus being controlled for se ection through said connective apparatus, and for recording through a suhscribers line.

32. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines, link circuits for interconnecting the lines, call registering apparatus common to a number of lines and adapted to be, actuated to selectively register a call from any of said lines, when connected.

33. In a tele hone exchange system, a plurality of line circuits, link circuits cooperating with line talking terminals for purposes of interconnection, and call registering apparatus associated with the link circuits and containing separate testing terminals of the lines, with connections whereby a calling line is selected and the call registered withoutinterfering with the talking circuit.

In testimony whereof I have atfixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E. CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

James H. Mann, HUGH M. STERLING. 

